It was an even opening half hour or so. Twice we’d had the opportunity to play a ball inbetween the centre halves for Cleary to run onto, and twice a poor effort was intercepted (Kelly, DKD). Not that it would have mattered. Cleary was playing as badly as anyone I’ve seen this season. If he controlled the ball, he lost it. And he didn’t often control it. At the other end (in a galaxy far, far, away) Lincoln cleared the bar when it looked easier to score.
However, gradually, Lincoln took control and the general feeling when it came was that ‘it was coming’. They always looked like they had an extra man in the move, but Watson (tonite’s left back) slips, the player cuts inside, and rockets a shot into the far corner. Too easy. We limp to half-time. Changes need to be made. What will Coach Conor come up with?
He takes Yoganathan off. It’s all his fault. (Can I just say, Vimal created the our only chance of note, 1st half, a pullback for DKD’s saved shot). Replaced down the right by a player without a right foot (Farrugia). What is Conor’s obsession with playing Farrugia here? He’s very fast, but even if he strips a player down the line, he can’t cross it in cos he’s only got one foot and that’s not where the ball is.
That said, we are transformed (I’ll ignore an early scare, Cooper tipping a shot round the post after Phillips’ aberration). We are by far the better side. Cleary is getting into the game, and we are on the front foot. And on 67 DKD grabs the equaliser following the kind of sweet move we’ve seen quite often this season. Phillips lays it out wide to Bland who drills the ball low across goal for DKD to sidefoot home. WE ARE IN THIS! Right, heads down, let’s go and get the winner. We hadn’t stopped celebrating before we were picking the ball out of our own net. WTF?
From the re-start after our goal, they play the ball back to the keeper, who chips a soft ball forward. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHERE OUR CENTRE HALVES ARE (today it’s Shepherd and MdG) but they have 2 (TWO!) players clean through. Watson’s little legs are feverishly scurrying but he’s nowhere near as the cheeky Imp lifts the ball over Cooper, who’s run out of his goal to join in the embarrassment. Sunday league defending.
I tried looking on the positive side. 1-2 is better than 0-1 in my world, it proves we can score. Unfortunately, it also woke the Lincoln fans up. They were now bouncing while we were disconsolate. ‘You only sing when you’re winning’ chanted some Reds fans in response. ‘They’ve been winning most of the match’ Wadd unhelpfully pointed out.
Still, 20 odd minutes left, we can still get something. 3 minutes later it’s 3-1. This defence is appalling. MdG heads a ball UPWARDS instead of OUTWARDS, everyone stands and stares and an Imp, on his own, knocks it across goal on the volley for a free header on the backpost. Down and out in Sincil Bank. The only team threatening hereafter wore red and white stripes.
It's ok tho. At least it’s not far to the car.
Onwards and upwards!
*** Kelly. I asked Wadd who’d played well (if anybody). He said Kelly. The reason I was asking, was cos it was only Kelly wot stood out for me, but I’m starting to get paranoid that I’m only voting for him cos he’s my favourite player. I don’t want to turn into Bob with Chris Shuker!
** No-one. No-one else came close to Kelly.
* DKD. Scored, had another shot saved. If you think we’re bad now, imagine how bad we’d be without the division’s top scorer.
Londontykes MOTM: 1. Kelly 2. DKD 3. Cooper
Despatches:
This defence of ours. It’s terrible. And it doesn’t matter who plays in it. Take the left back spot. Who’s played there this season? Ogbeta, Earl, MdG, Gent, Watson. Wasn’t loanee Rooney also played there? Have I missed anyone? I take Chris’s point about how well recruitment did with regards to Kelly and Cleary...but what about centre half? What about centre forward? What about left back? And this Rooney bloke. How bad must he be that he can’t get in the team ahead of Shepherd, Roberts, Earl, MdG? Is this the best Coach Conor can do with regards his footie contacts? A Derby reserve player he remembers playing youth football?
As for St. Conor, Wadd said someone on that there social media was criticising the defensive coach. Hourihane is untouchable. Even when the team can’t defend, it’s not his fault. He’s the one who brought Keogh in, he’s the one in overall control of the team, he’s the one who brings on Farrugia on the right while Vickers is left twiddling his thumbs on the bench, he’s the...etc
Dismal.
Away: 737
Drink du jour: Leffe at the Ritz Wetherspoon.
The Damage:
26 ent
c.30 petrol
= c£56
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